GILDER, Sydney Clive


No.53851, Rifleman, Sydney Clive GILDER
Aged 18


King's Royal Rifle Brigade
attached to 6th Battalion, London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade)
formerly TR/13/60848, 43rd (YS) King's Royal Rifle Corps
Killed in Action on Friday, 9th August 1918


Sydney Clive GILDER was born in Great Yeldham (Halstead Q1-1900 4A:809), son of Frederick Charles and Rose Emma GILDER (née HASLER).


1901 census...Aged 1, he was at High Street, Great Yeldham, Essex with his father Fred GILDER [25] railway porter born Toppesfield, Essex and his mother Emma [24] born Stambourne, Essex.

1911 census...Aged 11, he was at High Street, Great Yeldham with his parents, brother Basil [9] born Great Yeldham; uncles Colin HASLER [26] (domestic gardener) and Maurice HASLER [22] (Thatcher) both born in Sible Hedingham.

The pension card has his mother at 30 Camps Road, Haverhill.


He enlisted in Ipswich whilst resident in Haverhill.

The plan was to take CHIPILLY RIDGE, aided by 3 tanks. At 4:15 pm they started and directly they left the eastern edge of Mallard Wood they were met with extremely heavy machine gun fire from CHIPILLY RIDGE and the SW corner of CELESTINE WOOD, suffered very heavy casualties and could make no progress. Machine guns were pushed up on their right flank to help them. Then the 10th Battalion arrived and with their CO commenced working towards CHIPPILY (where 4 hostile guns had been taken out by a tank) and then northwards.
The 6th were then withdrawn to K.33.b.6.0. where they met the Americans.Lieut IDRIS, who was CO of Battalion Coy., assumed command of the Americans and with the remnants of his company worked NE through CELESTINE WOOD, then due E for the 85 contour on CHIPILLY RIDGE.
He reached this objective just as the 10th Londons swept up the ridge from the south. Lt. Idris fired his success signal and supervised consolidation. Seeing there were enough troops to hold the ridge he then handed over to the Americans and retired with his very tired men to Battalion HQ at K.35.d.8.2., arriving at 5 am on 10th.
The operation on the 8th and 9th had cost the London Regiment 12 officers and 308 other ranks across the 6th, 7th, 8th and 10th battalions involved.


position recorded above




photo: Rodney Gibson

Sydney Gilder is buried in Beacon Cemetery, Sailly-Laurette grave 1:I:3

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


BACK to Haverhill home page